A/N: Here we are again! Thank you SO much for all the response for Chapter 10, I really appreciate it!!

Chapter 11: In which something about Sam and Jack's relationship is discovered by Janet

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Major Samantha Carter folded her arms and sighed in frustration, tapping her foot. She turned in a slow circle, surveying the piles of files, boxes and equipment surrounding her. She'd managed to make some order of it all, but wasn't getting very far. She really should have come in yesterday to do all this... She shook her head slowly. She had never, never before waited to come into the base until she had to. She'd always been in a day or two before to get things sorted, carry on with some experiments, something. But not this time. This time, she'd happily stayed away from the SGC the entire time she was able to, being much more pleasantly occupied with her former CO. She perched on the corner of her desk, smiling as she remembered the past weekend. Sure, the unexpected arrival of their friends the day before had been a little embarrassing, but at least it was all out in the open now.

Her thoughts were interrupted by two sharp taps on the door, as she felt his presence enter the room. She turned to give him a brilliant smile.

"Hey, Sir."

"Carter! It's taken me hours to find you!" He threw his arms up in exaggeration, smiling fondly. He rested his hands on his hips, maintaining an awkward distance between them. After becoming so used, even in two brief days, to being able to touch her, hold her, kiss her as he wished, keeping a professional distance on base was going to be odd. "New lab, huh?"

"Yes, it's bigger. It'll be good to have more space to work in."

"Yes, I'm sure it will..." Jack picked up a small square object, turning it over in his hands. "So, ready for a lunch break?" He smiled hopefully.

"Sorry Sir, not yet." Sam smiled at his affronted expression. "I'm barely started in here... I had a meeting with Hammond and the rest of the base scientists earlier, explaining my new position to them, then I had a look around all the ongoing projects here to see how they're progressing. They're really -"

"Carter!" Jack interrupted. After a brief check around, he sent a pleading look to Sam. "Look, as much as I love you sweetheart, it's way too early for technobabble. Okay?" Sam blinked several times, then walked towards Jack with a guarded smile. She reached out, placing her hand gently on his chest.

"You.. You just called me sweetheart..." She grinned. Jack's eyebrows rose.

"I, I did?"

"Yep.."

"Oh... I -"

"I like it."

"You - you do?"

"Yep." She stepped away from him, winking as she moved to the other side of her desk. Jack gulped, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He really hadn't meant to call her that, it just slipped out...

"Well.. That's good..." He muttered, unsure how to react. Sam giggled lightly, restoring his confidence. "So, want a hand with all this?" He gestured around them at the chaos in the lab, smiling sweetly.

"I'd love some help Sir, but shouldn't you be looking over those personnel files? You know SG-1 can't go back on the mission list until you've at least suggested a replacement. You didn't get bored already did you?"

"Oh, pshaw..." Jack flapped his hand dismissively. "I'll get around to it. I did try, Carter, honestly. It's just... None of them are, well, you."

"No Sir, they're not," she smiled appreciatively.

Two hours later, some sense of order had become apparent in Sam's new lab. Other scientists had popped their heads in frequently, with questions, problems, queries, all of which Sam dealt with easily and competently. Unbeknownst to her, Jack had smiled proudly each time, filled with admiration for her. She was ten times smarter than any other scientist on the base. In the world. Hell, in the galaxy. And she was taking all of this on, giving up SG-1, just to be with him and have their baby. He couldn't believe how lucky he was. When they were finally done, he sat down heavily on her stool, as she perched on the desk by him.

"Boy am I glad that's finished!" Sam exclaimed tiredly, drawing her arm across her brow. Jack frowned slightly, touching her leg gently, hidden from the security camera.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, fine," she squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Just tired."

"Junior's fault, huh?"

"Junior?!" Sam exclaimed. Jack grinned cheekily back at her.

"Why not?"

"Colonel," she laughed, "you can not, ever, liken our baby to a symbiote."

"But you can ask T for hints! I mean, he has to cope with a little guy in his tummy too!" Sam squeaked, gently slapping Jack's arm.

"Sir, no! That's a horrible thought!" Jack thought for a moment, screwing his face up.

"Yeah, okay, you're right. That is a nasty thought. In fact, I can't really believe I thought that... Crap!" He pulled a face at Sam, who pulled a face back in response. Laughing together, they stood up.

"Sir, you know I really should get back to work." She smiled apologetically at his disappointed face.

"Carter, you've been working at clearing this mess for hours. A lunch break is called for. I insist on it. And technically, I'm still the superior officer, so I can make it an order, Major." His finger raised sternly at Sam, his voice low, practically growling. He paused in surprise as he noticed Sam's eyes darken seductively, licking her lips. He swallowed hard, standing his ground. Damn, he couldn't wait to get off duty.

"Yes, Sir," she positively purred at him. Eyes twinkling, he smiled in response as they exited the lab together.

The elevator doors opened slowly, revealing Tea'lc wearing a rather strange expression, not quite standing to his full height. Sam smiled at him, as Jack nodded in greeting.

"Hey, T. What's up?" He winked at Sam, who grinned back.

"O'Neill, Major Carter. I am on my way to the infirmary." He spoke solemnly, as usual. The two officers frowned in concern.

"What's up, big guy?" Jack asked, with a gentle friendly punch to the Jaffa's arm. Tea'lc frowned.

"For reasons I am as yet unaware of, I am concerned that my symbiote has become more agitated than usual, causing me to feel unwell -" he was forced to stop, raising an eyebrow in surprise as he was interrupted by a loud snort from Jack, against whom Sam had collapsed in peals of laughter. Struggling to speak through tears of laughter, Sam apologised profusely, Jack nodding in agreement, unable to speak. Tea'lc merely made a low sound in his throat, turning to face the doors, staring stoically ahead. It would appear he still had much to learn about the Tau'ri's strange sense of humour, despite O'Neill having taught him well. He clasped his hands behind his back, waiting for the laughter to cease.

..--00--..

Sam checked her watch. She had to make a quick visit to the infirmary before she left the mountain for the day. Since the start of her relationship with Jack, a mere two weeks that seemed more like a lifetime ago, she had only stayed on base past her working hours three times. For the first time in many, many years, Samantha Carter had something to look forward to when she finished work. That something was Jack O'Neill. The three times that she had stayed on base were the days when SG-1, minus a fourth member, had gone on a brief recon mission for which no scientific expertise was needed. No, these days, when Sam came off duty she happily proceeded home without delay, ready to spend the evening with Jack. They had quickly become much more comfortable and open with each other, as the reality of their relationship set in, and they allowed themselves to fully enjoy it. They didn't need to be doing anything in particular, they just enjoyed each others company, relishing it. The rumour mill that had speculated on their non-relationship for years had gone wild, the exact reasons for Sam's transferral having been disclosed only on a need-to-know basis. She peered down at her still-flat stomach, placing a hand over their child inside protectively, knowing that at some point the reason would come out. They'd decided to wait though, until the highest risk of miscarriage had passed. The couple was very aware of the possibility, but tried not to think about it too much. Regardless of what happened now, she knew they could never go back to the way things had been between them before.

She stood up carefully, steadying herself momentarily on her desk corner. Yep, the nausea was getting worse. That had set rumours off too, she was sure.

"Major, you okay?" Doctor Lee piped up from the corner where he was working. He'd noticed Sam's fatigue and sickness quite often, but just attributed it to her normal overwork. He, and the other scientists on base, had not had that much contact with Major Carter while she was on SG-1, only really when projects were finished or during an emergency. Her new position meant they were all slowly getting to know her better, and she them.

"Yes, thanks Bill, I'm fine. Just heading to the infirmary now. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye," he called to her retreating back.

Janet looked up from her paperwork as a pale Sam entered her office.

"Sick again?" She smiled at her friend sympathetically.

"Yeah," Sam groaned, grimacing. "I'm getting so tired, Janet. This is terrible."

"I know, honey. Still, I'm sure when you get home that a certain Colonel will be there, just ready to make you feel all better!" She teased.

"Yeah, thanks Jan," Sam whacked her friend playfully. Janet smiled as she escorted Sam to the nearest bed. Luckily, the infirmary was currently empty, there having been no life-threatening incidents lately. Even Siler hadn't been in for some time. Sam only needed a cursory check-up and some blood tests, her pregnancy having reached two months now. The two friends chatted casually as Janet examined her.

"So, are you doing anything exciting tonight?" Sam asked.

"Oh, no," Janet replied. "Cassandra is bringing her latest boyfriend round for dinner. This time it's the real thing, you know!" She grinned.

"Wow! The real thing, huh? That's what, the fourth time?" Sam smiled fondly.

"But no Sam, this time it is real!" Janet squealed in a perfect imitation of her adopted daughter, sending the two women into fits of giggles. It took them several minutes to recover. "I'm sure you'll have a much more exciting evening," Janet winked.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sam raised her eyebrows, wincing as Janet prodded her abdomen gently.

"Come on, Sam," Janet pressed mercilessly. "The chemistry between you and Jack has been practically explosive for years! You've been seeing him practically every evening for two weeks now, you're seriously playing innocent with me?"

"Janet!" Sam squealed.

"What?" Janet smiled innocently. "Come on, I've been dying to know for days! You can't seriously expect me to believe you've done nothing more with that man that make out like a couple of horny teenagers," she waggled her eyebrows, grinning immaturely at her best friend. "If you haven't, I can honestly say that I'm amazed you haven't spontaneously combusted by now!"

"Janet!" Sam laughed weakly. She shook her head in amusement. "Sorry to disappoint you. Really Janet, don't you think I'd have told you already if we had? Come on, you'd be able to tell straight away!"

"Mm, you're right," Janet smiled, concentrating as she inserted a needle in Sam's arm. She knew her friend far too well for Sam to be able to keep anything that momentous a secret from her! "So, if you don't mind me asking..."

"We just, haven't, that's all," Sam muttered, mildly embarrassed. Her intimate relations with her former CO was not something she wanted to discuss lightly. However, she knew she could be open about it with Janet. Her friend had known of her feelings for Colonel O'Neill for a long time, long before even the infamous za'tarc incident which had led to their admissions of inappropriate feelings. "I mean, we've talked about it..."

"And...?" Janet pressed, curious. She knew how absolutely besotted the two officers were with each other, knew how they had fought their passion to remain professional. She really couldn't believe that, now they had no barriers in their way, they hadn't fully consummated their relationship. Knowing how Sam felt about the Colonel, she just didn't see how they could continue to resist each other.

"Well.. It sounds kinda silly, but..." Sam clasped her fingers nervously. "We decided to wait for a special occasion."

"Really? Sam, that's so sweet!"

"You think so?" Sam smiled at her friend. She knew she could count on Janet. "It just seemed we'd waited so long anyway, we just knew that after the wait we've had, our first time should just be perfect. Nothing hurried, just because we didn't want to wait anymore. We're just... Waiting til the moment feels right. After this many years, what difference does it make waiting a little longer to make it perfect?" She looked down, smiling as she remembered how sweet Jack had been. He'd said she was too special, too perfect, for their first time making love to be anything but perfect. He really did care about her that much, to deny his own desires, just to wait for the right moment. She'd thought, when they'd first known each other, as she'd become aware of his attraction to her, that he was just interested because she was spunky, blonde and had great legs. She knew she was an attractive woman, the amount of interest men had shown in her over the years testified to that; she'd just had no luck in regards to any deeper feelings. She couldn't remember when she'd first realised that his attraction ran deeper than that. Over the years, she had come to realise that he truly cared for her, would rather give up his own life than lose her, and only wanted her happiness. Glad to get past his brash Colonel exterior, in the past two weeks she had come to learn even more what a truly loving, thoughtful, caring, romantic man Jack O'Neill really was. She became aware suddenly of Janet's voice breaking into her thoughts.

"Sam? Goodness, I don't have a chance when you get that dreamy look, do I?"

"Sorry Jan," Sam smiled apologetically. "Just thinking."

"I know," the doctor smiled back at her friend, rubbing her arm gently. "Well, we're all done here. I just need to wait for your blood results, but everything seems fine. Now, go and enjoy your evening!" She grinned.

"Yes Ma'am!" Sam laughed, throwing a mock salute. As she left, she called back over her shoulder. "Enjoy your evening too! Don't be too cruel to the boyfriend!"

"Would I?!" Janet called innocently after her.

Sam climbed into her car, thinking about Jack as she drove home. She knew that this evening, he wouldn't be waiting for her. He'd had the afternoon off, and had sent her a message informing her that he was cooking dinner tonight (assuring her it would not be burnt steaks, and the recipe would not involve beer), with specific instructions to arrive at his at 1900, and to dress nicely (with further assurances that it wasn't that she didn't always dress nicely, it was just that it was a special meal, and that casual clothes would spoil the atmosphere). She smiled fondly at his words. The time they'd spent together so far had been very casual; this would be the first smart dinner since that first night in the park. She felt butterflies begin to creep into her stomach, shaking her head. Samantha Carter did not get nervous! She couldn't help wondering why tonight, why the special effort. She knew SG-1 was going on a mission the next day, just a simple diplomatic one, should be a piece of cake. But nothing to merit a special dinner... Sam thought back to her conversation with Janet. Maybe, just maybe, Jack had decided that tonight was the right time. She shivered involuntarily in anticipation, a small smile creeping over her features. She couldn't quite bring herself to fully entertain the thought, that maybe tonight, the time would be right, and she would become one with Jack O'Neill. The prospect was too enticing. The smile turned into a full blown grin, as she looked quickly down towards the growing child inside her, the child which had enabled them to be together.

"Thanks, Junior," she whispered to herself.

TBC

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A/N: There we are! Thank you so much for reading. I'd love to know what you think! Just as a quick note, next update may take a while. I've some essays due in, so I need to concentrate on them, and also, I watched Metamorphosis the other day and had a huge urge to write an episode tag for it, so look out for that at some point!! But that's all an exaggeration, you won't have to wait too long for Chapter 12, but it's just an early warning in case.

Thank you!!